Introduction
The wallet functions as a prepayment mechanism where funds are deposited upfront and automatically deducted as your team completes warehouse activities—receiving inventory, storing goods, picking items, packing orders, and shipping packages. This eliminates the need for manual invoicing delays and ensures accurate billing tied directly to the work performed.
How the Wallet Works
When you deposit funds into your wallet, those funds become available to cover the costs of 3PL services. As your warehouse team completes activities, the billing system automatically calculates the charges based on your configured rates and deducts them from your wallet balance. This happens seamlessly in the background, with all transactions logged for complete audit visibility.
The wallet operates on a billing cycle basis, with fund depletion calculated automatically during nightly billing processes. This ensures your balance always reflects the most current state of your account.
For 3PL Administrators
Accessing the Digital Wallet
The digital wallet is managed through the 3PL admin dashboard within ShipSidekick's billing subsystem. From your main menu, navigate to your billing and wallet management section to view all wallets within your organization, manage customer accounts, and configure wallet settings.
Managing Wallet Balances
Depositing Funds
As a 3PL admin, you can deposit funds into customer wallets through multiple payment methods:
Stripe Integration: Process deposits directly through Stripe for immediate fund availability
Bank Transfer: Configure bank transfer options if your organization has this set up
Funds are typically available immediately upon successful payment processing, allowing customers to continue operations without interruption.
Setting Automatic Top-Up Thresholds
To prevent service interruptions due to insufficient wallet balance, you can configure automatic top-up thresholds for each customer account. When a wallet balance drops below your configured threshold, the system can automatically trigger a top-up request or alert you to manually replenish the account.
This proactive approach ensures customers never experience delays due to depleted balances.
Viewing Wallet Activity and Reports
Transaction Ledgers
Access detailed transaction ledgers for any customer wallet to see:
All deposits and fund additions
Service charges and deductions
Dates and amounts of each transaction
Running balance history
Wallet Statements
Export comprehensive wallet statements for accounting, reconciliation, and customer reporting purposes. These statements provide a complete audit trail of all wallet activity during a specified period.
Activity Log Integration
All wallet transactions are automatically logged in ShipSidekick's activity catalog, providing comprehensive audit trails that integrate with your broader billing and operational records.
Configuring Wallet Spending Policies
You can establish organization-level wallet spending policies, including:
Per-Customer Spending Limits: Set maximum daily or monthly spending limits for individual customer accounts
Spending Restrictions: Define which services can be charged to the wallet
Balance Alerts: Configure notifications when balances reach critical thresholds
These policies help you maintain control over customer spending while ensuring operations continue smoothly.
Wallet Snapshots and Billing Cycles
Wallet balances are immutable snapshots tied to specific billing periods. This means that once a billing cycle closes, the wallet balance for that period is locked and retained for audit purposes. Historical wallet snapshots are maintained indefinitely, allowing you to review past billing periods and reconcile accounts with complete accuracy.
Reconciling Wallet Payouts and Client Invoices
When reconciling wallet activity with client invoices, follow these best practices:
Treat Invoices as "Paid" When Issued: Recognize revenue when an invoice is generated, not when payment is received
Treat Cash Withdrawals as Advances: View wallet fund withdrawals as advances or deposits against future invoices, since you'll typically receive wallet payments before invoices close out
Monitor Unified Reporting: Use the unified invoicing model and withdrawal reports to track the relationship between wallet deposits and invoice amounts
A new unified invoicing model and clearer withdrawal reports are coming to make this reconciliation process even easier.
Role-Based Access Control
As a 3PL admin, you have full read-write access to:
All wallet settings and configurations
Customer wallet top-ups and deposits
Spending policy management
Detailed reporting and transaction history
Wallet statement exports
Access control is enforced through ShipSidekick's permissions system, ensuring only authorized administrators can make changes to wallet settings.
For 3PL Customer Users
Accessing Your Wallet
Your wallet balance and transaction history are accessible through your customer user dashboard in ShipSidekick. You can view your current balance at any time to understand how much prepaid credit you have available for services.
Viewing Your Balance and Transaction History
Real-Time Balance Display
Your current wallet balance is displayed prominently in your dashboard, updated in real time as services are rendered and charges are applied. This gives you immediate visibility into your available funds.
Transaction History
Access a read-only transaction history filtered to your customer account, showing:
All deposits and fund additions
Service charges and deductions
Dates and amounts of each transaction
Running balance over time
This detailed history helps you understand how your funds are being consumed and verify that charges match your expected service usage.
Requesting Wallet Top-Ups
When your balance runs low, you can request a top-up through a self-service flow in your dashboard. Your request routes directly to your 3PL administrator, who can process the deposit quickly.
To request a top-up:
Navigate to your wallet section in the dashboard
Click the option to request additional funds
Specify the amount you need
Submit your request
Your administrator will receive notification of your request and can process it immediately, typically making funds available within minutes.
Balance Alerts and Notifications
You'll receive notifications when your wallet balance drops below configured thresholds. These alerts help you plan ahead and request top-ups before your balance becomes critically low.
Notifications are sent according to your organization's configured schedule and can be delivered through your preferred communication channels.
Understanding Service Charges
Your wallet balance decreases automatically as your 3PL provider completes services on your behalf. Common charges include:
Receiving: Charges for inbound inventory processing
Storage: Charges based on the cubic footage of inventory stored
Picking: Charges per item picked for orders
Packing: Charges per order packed
Shipping: Charges based on carrier rates and service levels
All charges are calculated based on rates configured by your 3PL provider and applied automatically as work is completed.
Role-Based Access Control
As a 3PL customer user, you have read-only access to:
Your current wallet balance
Your transaction history (filtered to your account only)
Balance alerts and notifications
Self-service top-up requests
You cannot modify wallet settings or view other customers' wallet information.
Frequently Asked Questions
General Wallet Questions
Q: How often is my wallet balance updated?
A: Your wallet balance is updated in real time as services are rendered. The billing system automatically calculates charges based on completed warehouse activities and deducts them from your balance immediately. Detailed reconciliation occurs during nightly billing processes at 4:00 AM UTC and 5:00 AM UTC.
Q: What happens if my wallet balance is insufficient to cover a transaction?
A: If your wallet balance is too low to cover a service charge, the system flags the order for manual review or holds it pending wallet replenishment, depending on your organization's settings. Your administrator will be notified and can either process a top-up or adjust the order as needed.
Q: Can I have multiple wallets?
A: No, your organization operates with a single wallet per billing cycle. However, historical wallet snapshots are retained for audit purposes, allowing you to review past billing periods.
Q: How are wallet balances calculated across billing cycles?
A: Wallet balances are immutable snapshots tied to specific billing periods. Once a billing cycle closes, that period's balance is locked and retained for audit purposes. A new wallet balance begins with the next billing cycle.
For 3PL Administrators
Q: How do I set up automatic top-ups for customer accounts?
A: Navigate to the wallet settings for each customer account and configure automatic top-up thresholds. When the balance drops below your specified amount, the system can trigger an automatic top-up request or alert you to manually replenish the account.
Q: Can I set spending limits for individual customers?
A: Yes. You can configure per-customer spending limits as part of your organization-level wallet spending policies. These limits can be set on a daily, monthly, or custom basis depending on your business needs.
Q: How do I export wallet statements for accounting purposes?
A: Access the wallet reporting section for any customer account and select the option to export statements. You can specify the date range and download a comprehensive statement showing all deposits, charges, and balance history.
Q: What payment methods are supported for wallet deposits?
A: ShipSidekick supports Stripe integration for immediate deposits, and bank transfer if your organization has configured this option. Contact your account administrator to confirm which methods are available for your setup.
For 3PL Customer Users
Q: How do I request a wallet top-up?
A: Navigate to your wallet section in the dashboard and click the option to request additional funds. Specify the amount you need and submit your request. Your administrator will receive the request and can process it quickly, typically making funds available within minutes.
Q: Will I be notified when my balance is running low?
A: Yes. You'll receive notifications when your wallet balance drops below configured thresholds. These alerts help you plan ahead and request top-ups before your balance becomes critically low.
Q: Can I see a breakdown of what I'm being charged for?
A: Yes. Your transaction history shows all charges applied to your account, and you can view your detailed activity log to understand which services generated each charge. If you need more detailed information, contact your 3PL administrator.
Q: How long does it take for a top-up request to be processed?
A: Top-up requests are typically processed within minutes of submission. The exact timeframe depends on your administrator's availability and the payment method used. You'll receive a notification once your funds have been added.
Troubleshooting Guide
Wallet Balance Issues
Problem: My wallet balance seems incorrect or doesn't match my expectations.
Solution:
Review your transaction history to identify all recent charges and deposits
Verify that all charges correspond to services you actually received
Check that deposits have been fully processed and applied to your account
If discrepancies persist, contact your 3PL administrator with specific transaction dates and amounts
Your administrator can review the detailed activity log and billing records to identify any issues
Problem: My balance dropped unexpectedly.
Solution:
Check your transaction history for recent charges
Verify that charges correspond to completed warehouse activities (receiving, storage, picking, packing, shipping)
Confirm that the rates applied match your agreed-upon pricing
If you believe a charge is incorrect, contact your 3PL administrator immediately with the transaction details
Your administrator can review the charge and make adjustments if necessary
Deposit and Top-Up Issues
Problem: My top-up request hasn't been processed.
Solution:
Verify that you submitted the request successfully (you should see confirmation in your dashboard)
Check your email for notifications from your 3PL administrator
If more than a few hours have passed, contact your administrator directly to confirm receipt
Your administrator may need to verify payment method information before processing
Problem: I attempted a deposit but the funds didn't appear in my wallet.
Solution:
Check your transaction history to see if the deposit was recorded
Verify that the payment was successfully processed through your payment method (check your bank or Stripe account)
If the payment was processed but funds didn't appear in your wallet, contact your 3PL administrator immediately
Your administrator can investigate the payment processing and manually apply the funds if necessary
Allow 5-10 minutes for the system to fully process and display the deposit
Notification and Alert Issues
Problem: I'm not receiving balance alert notifications.
Solution:
Check your notification settings in your dashboard to ensure alerts are enabled
Verify that your contact information (email, phone, etc.) is correct and up to date
Check your email spam or junk folder in case notifications are being filtered
Contact your 3PL administrator to confirm that balance alert thresholds are configured for your account
Your administrator can manually trigger a test notification to verify the system is working
Problem: I'm receiving too many notifications.
Solution:
Contact your 3PL administrator to adjust your balance alert thresholds
Request that notifications be sent less frequently (for example, only when balance drops below a critical level)
Your administrator can configure notification frequency and delivery methods based on your preferences
Service Charge Issues
Problem: I was charged for a service I didn't receive.
Solution:
Review your transaction history and activity log to identify the specific charge
Verify the date and amount of the charge
Contact your 3PL administrator with the transaction details
Your administrator can review the warehouse activity logs to confirm whether the service was actually completed
If the charge is incorrect, your administrator can issue a credit or adjustment to your account
Problem: Charges seem higher than expected based on my agreed rates.
Solution:
Review your configured rates with your 3PL administrator to confirm the pricing structure
Check your transaction history to understand which services generated each charge
Verify that the volume of services (inventory received, items picked, orders packed, etc.) matches your expectations
Request a detailed breakdown of charges from your administrator
If rates have changed, confirm the new pricing and effective date with your administrator
Access and Permissions Issues
Problem: I can't see my wallet balance or transaction history.
Solution:
Verify that you're logged in with the correct user account
Check that your user role has been configured with wallet access permissions
Ensure you're navigating to the correct section of the dashboard (billing or wallet section)
Contact your 3PL administrator to confirm that wallet access has been enabled for your user account
Your administrator may need to update your permissions or reset your access
Problem: I'm seeing wallet information for other customers.
Solution:
This should not happen—customer wallet information is isolated by account
If you're seeing other customers' data, this is a permissions issue
Contact your 3PL administrator immediately to report the issue
Your administrator can review your access permissions and correct any configuration errors
Do not share or use information from other customer accounts
Getting Help
If you encounter issues not covered in this guide, contact your 3PL administrator directly. They have access to detailed billing records, activity logs, and system configuration information needed to resolve wallet-related issues quickly.
For technical issues or system errors, your administrator can escalate to ShipSidekick support with specific error messages, transaction IDs, and dates to expedite resolution.